Employed by the Communist organ Il Manifesto since 1988, Sgrena was visiting Iraq when she was abducted outside a refugee camp located near the University of Baghdad. She was released unharmed in March after negotiations by Italian intelligence agent Nicola Calipari involving a ransom of over $1M that was reportedly paid to the kidnappers. After her release, an American military unit fired at their automobile as they were transiting by night to Baghdad International Airport, killing Calipari.